It’s more than 20 years since William James Adams Jr – aka will.i.am – became a star with his band Black Eyed Peas, topping the charts a few years later in 2003 with Where Is The Love?
More hits followed, and the quirky rapper, singer, songwriter and producer established himself as a fascinating all-rounder, always on the lookout for the next sound, style or tech innovation.
Will’s single mother brought him and his siblings up in Eastside LA, but he travelled across the city for school in the affluent West.
Since finding fame and fortune, Will has used his wealth to become a philanthropist. A tech fanatic, he’s ploughed millions of dollars into robotics programmes for schools, and his education programme has seen huge numbers of kids make it to college.
Britain has been very important in his career and he’s loyal to his talent show mentor role on The Voice UK, having stayed with the show throughout all 10 series.
Now Will is adding yet another string to his bow, as a documentary film maker. The sound of his Black Eyed Peas hit, Where Is The Love?, has rung out from Black Lives Matter marches both here and in America.
And in honour of Black History Month, Will has made a film for ITV, investigating what it means to be Black in Britain today, and how that experience compares to life in America.
We caught up with Will, 46, to hear more about making will.i.am: The Blackprint...
Hi Will. How did this documentary come about?
ITV came up with the idea, to celebrate Black History Month in the UK. And I’m so happy we did it, I learned a lot.
Did you worry at all that there might be some negative reactions to it?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 11, 2021 من New UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 11, 2021 من New UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
HAROLD'S BACK I ON THE STREET
Neighbours favourite lan Smith returns to Erinsborough to reunite with old friends and feel close to his beloved Madge
'INSPIRING VIEWERS WOULD BE A TRIUMPH'
Writer Daf James draws on his own experiences of adoption as part of a gay couple for this emotional new drama starring Sion Daniel Young and Fra Fee as prospective parents
FIVE KEY WAYS TO WELLNESS
It needn't cost a fortune to unlock the secrets to a healthier, happier mindset with these simple core principles
Woman killed her friend with eyedrops
Jessy Kurczewski pretended to be a carer, but she was really a killer
'My skin cancer diagnosis was a wake-up call'
This Morning's Queen Of Clean Lynsey Crombie reveals how her life has changed since her cancer shock
'Jess and I were just two single people'
Love Island's Callum Jones hits back at Jess Gale's \"deceitful\" cheating claims and insists they were \"never exclusive\"
'It breaks my heart to miss out on Strictly'
Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter on marriage, motherhood and why she fears she'll never get to compete for the Glitterball
'I am so happy I'm on cloud nine'
Bradley Riches on his Italian engagement, his stint on CBB and his brand new stage role
Cheryl feels the strain
It's claimed the Girls Aloud star is struggling with missing her son - and her former bandmate - while on tour
Lauren's 'worry' for her daughter if she's jailed
After a \"horrendous couple of years\", TOWIE star Lauren Goodger could face prison - and she's said to be \"frightened\" about what that might mean for Larose